High-Speed for the Long-Haul

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation—builder of eminently-covetable market-leading business aircraft—announced on 26 January 2023 that its Gulfstream G700 ultra-long-range jet has achieved no fewer than 25 speed records over the course of a recently completed G700 world tour.

Gulfstream pilots flew two fully outfitted G700 production test aircraft to more than twenty countries across six continents for purpose of demonstrating the machine’s jaw-dropping performance and the flexibility and comfort of its cabin—the industry’s most spacious.

Gulfstream CEO Mark Burns remarked: “The G700 world tour was a tremendous success. We knew the aircraft would perform exceptionally well, and they exceeded even our own high expectations for both reliability and performance across a variety of routes. Showcasing the outfitted aircraft to our customers and prospects around the world bolstered the already strong demand we are seeing for the G700.”

Notable record runs achieved during the G700 world tour include:

• Savannah (SAV) to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (RUH), in 12-hours, 36-minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.90.
• Istanbul, Turkey (IST), to Vietnam’s Van Don International Airport (VDO) in nine-hours, two-minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.90.
• Riyadh (RUH) to Melbourne (MEL), Australia, in 13-hours, 39-minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.87.
• Christchurch (CHC), New Zealand, to Los Angeles (LAX) in 12-hours, 13-minutes at an average speed of Mach 0.87.

In total, the two G700 aircraft traveled 53,882-nautical-miles (99,789-kilometers) over more than 180-hours of flying. Currently, the speed records are pending review by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as world records.

The interiors of the two G700 production test aircraft showcase Gulfstream’s ultra-galley, which boasts more than ten-feet (three-meters) of counter space, and seats of an all-new and award-winning design. The jets’ cabins also feature grand suites outfitted with fixed beds and spacious en suite lavatories featuring full vanities and showers. To combat fatigue and jet-lag, the G700 cabin is equipped with an ultrahigh-definition dynamic circadian lighting system. Passenger and flight-crew comfort and alertness is further enhanced by a pressurization system capable of maintaining a cabin altitude of 2,916-feet (889-meters) at an aircraft pressure altitude of FL410 (approximately 12,497-meters). Even at maximum differential pressure, the cabins of modern airliners, at altitude, range from 6,000 to 8,000-feet.

The G700 is powered by Rolls-Royce’s all-new Pearl 700 engines. Subject powerplants are evolutions of the famed British marque’s BR700 family of turbofan mills. Developed jointly by BMW and Rolls-Royce, BR700 series engines are manufactured in Dahlewitz, Germany by an entity known as Rolls-Royce Deutschland. The Pearl 700 is a direct descendant of the twin-shaft BR725 turbofan, but improves on its forebear’s 16,900-lbf output with a take-off thrust rating of 18,250-lbf. and an accompanying reduction in fuel-consumption of three-to-five-percent.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com